SAVANNA (VERONICA)
When Ethan asked that question, I wasn’t surprised actually.
Since I had known him, he was quite a curious and intelligent individual.
Therefore, it was quite common for him to already doubt that.
However, the answer wasn’t for him to learn.
So, instead of answering directly, I turned my head slightly and asked, “Where were you all afternoon?”
The question caught him off guard.
His steps slowed, and his gaze dropped to the cracked phone he still held in his hand.
The hesitation on his face was painfully obvious.
For a moment he simply stared at the sidewalk, and then—
“I…
j-just w-want to share y-your and m-mom’s burden,” he said slowly.
“S-so…
I f-found t-two p-part-time j-jobs.”
His words made a twist quietly in my chest with that same foreign feeling I yet to understand.
He looked nervous after admitting it, like he was bracing himself for criticism.
Maybe he expected me to scold him.
Maybe he thought I would remind him about his disabilities…
Instead, I reached out and ruffled his hair.
“You did well,” I said simply.
He blinked up at me, slightly confused and surprised.
“I’m proud of you.”
For a moment he looked stunned.
Then the brightest smile spread across his handsome face.
A smile of relief…
“I-I’ll w-work h-hard,” he promised quickly.
“I w-won’t b-be a b-burden and m-make you a-and mama pr-roud!”
I watched him for a moment before nodding slightly.
‘And I’ll make sure you never have to feel like a burden again.’ A promise I made to myself…
___________
In the evening, as I had walked out of the shower, a notification blinked on the phone screen.
I glanced at it.
A message from the bank.
Once I woke in Veronica’s body I opened the bank account.
Fortunately she had already turned nineteen, which made the process simple enough.
Throwing the towel aside, I opened the message.
However, only to be stunned.
Deposit received: $1,000,000.
“What the fuck!?” Irritation brewed within me.
“One million?
That was it?
Damn!
These are the mighty Abrahams?
This stingy?
I can’t believe it!”
Disappointment coursed through me as I tossed the phone aside.
To Savanna, people had paid ten times that amount just to gain a small favour or secure a single meeting.
And this…
Sigh— what a useless Abraham.
However, I needed to work with it for now.
Still disappointed over such stinginess, I slipped my phone into my pocket and grabbed my jacket.
If nothing else, I knew exactly how to use it….
_________
A salesman greeted me immediately.
“Looking for anything specific, ma’am?”
“The newest iPhones,” I replied calmly…
And within a few minutes, I walked out with three brand-new phones and a MacBook packed neatly into glossy white boxes.
After that, I stopped by one of the better restaurants nearby.
And by the time I left, my arms were filled with bags.
Burgers from a high-end place.
Crispy fries.
Pizza.
Grilled meats and cheese.
Drinks.
Enough food for three people who hadn’t enjoyed a proper meal in far too long.
When I returned home later that evening, mom was already preparing for dinner.
Her shoulders slump and she looked so tired.
Usually, it was Veronica who used to cook food, but today I didn’t, so she started doing it by herself.
Although Savanna couldn’t cook food, Veronica had been doing it since childhood.
And I must say, using her memories, when I had tried to prepare a meal a few days ago, it was honestly delicious.
Good, now I had another skill…
Ethan sat at the table with his cracked phone in pieces, trying carefully to fix the screen.
Neither of them noticed me immediately, until I set the food bags on the table.
“Mom, don’t cook tonight.”
Both stared at me in confusion as I opened the bags.
The smell of hot, delicious food instantly filled the tiny kitchen.
“Wow!” Ethan’s eyes widened, and Mom froze completely.
“What…
what is all this?” she asked slowly.
“Dinner,” I replied calmly as I started unpacking everything onto the table.
“Tomorrow I’ll take you both out for lunch somewhere nicer.”
They were still staring when I reached the other bags and pulled out the phone boxes.
“Here,” I said, handing one to Ethan and another to Mom.
Ethan looked down at the box.
His eyes widened even more.
“Th-this…
this is the n-new iP-phone,” he said, completely stunned.
“H-how!?”
Mom looked even more worried than he did.
“Veronica…
where did you get the money?” she asked carefully.
“You didn’t…
rob someone, did you?”
I couldn’t help letting out a small sigh.
“It’s all legal money,” I said simply.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“And Mom…
you don’t have to keep exhausting yourself like this anymore.”
She blinked, staring right at me.
“I’ve already taken care of the landlord.” I said calmly.
Mom still stood there as though she was confused whether she was dreaming or if it’s all real.
Then she slowly sank into the chair behind her.
She looked so haggard and perhaps, even thinner. Find the original chapter at g.com.
“Wha-what about your father?” she asked.
“His debts…” Her voice came out barely above a whisper.
Again that useless man?
I couldn’t help but frown.
“Stop worrying about that old man,” I said flatly.
“He doesn’t care about you, nor his children.
So start living your own life, Mom, and leave the rest to me.”
“If he can take care of himself, fine.
If he can’t…
let him go to hell.” I had no emotion whatsoever.
Her eyes felt as though they would jump out soon.
Well, I didn’t blame her.
“He’s your father, Vero…” she said weakly.
Our gazes met yet the coldness in them must have startled her further.
“Well, now that I’m paying the rent, no drinkers and no whores are stepping foot in this place again.”
“I’ll deal with them if they try.
You don’t need to worry about it anymore.” Although I was calm, the cold warning in my tone echoed against the poorly built walls.
Mom stared at me for several seconds.
Then her shoulders slowly relaxed.
She was probably too tired to argue, and simply nodded.
Good.
I didn’t need her to worry.
Not anymore…
Later that night, after everyone was asleep after quite a good feast, I had to come out to fill my water bottle.
As I passed Ethan’s door, I noticed the light inside was still on.
The door itself was slightly open.
And as I was, curiosity pulled me closer.
Just as I reached the doorway, his voice drifted out softly…
“G-od…
I d-don’t know what hap-ppened to V-vero…”
I froze.
Wait, what was he saying?
I leaned more in the shadows and heard…
“S-she became d-different after hit-ting her head.
B-But…
I l-like her.”
A small laugh escaped him…
“I used t-to love her an-nyway…
even when ss-he was k-kind of ss-stupid.”
My lips twitched slightly at his remarks.
“B-But s-he always l-loved M-mom and m-e, e-even th-hour we’re us-seless.”
He paused for a second.
“P-please…
k-keep her l-like this,” he whispered.
“N-now she c-can f-fight f-for herself…
And it’s s-so c-cool!”
I stood in the shadows quietly for a moment.
A faint smile touched my lips.
In my life, I had remained in the shadows countless times, hearing all the dirty secrets of people, even sometimes having to witness loud and sloppy sex.
However, this was one of the most innocent spying I had ever done.
Without making a sound, I gently closed the door and walked back down the hallway…